Labour Start News

5/26/2006

In response to demands by its workers and the United Mine Workers of America, Peabody now acknowledges in its code of conduct, the freedom of its employees to organize and bargain collectively. But Peabody continues its 15-year anti-union campaign. Send a fax to CEO Greg Boyce telling him to allow coal miners to organize free from fear, intimidation and harassment. A copy of your fax will be sent to your congressman. (Tell me more >>>)

5/23/2006

UMWA statement regarding Darby mine tragedy in Kentucky

Source: UMWAUnited Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil Roberts issued the following statement:

"The hearts and prayers of every UMWA member are with the families of the five miners killed in the explosion at the Darby #1 mine in Holmes Mill, Kentucky early this morning. We are also praying for the recovery of the injured miner who is in the hospital.

"Though the Darby #1 mine is a non-union mine and its workers are not UMWA members, we stand ready to provide whatever assistance we can for the families of the lost miners and the survivor.

"This tragedy only compounds what has already been a horrific year in America's coal mines. There have now been 31 coal miners killed in the nation's mines in 2006, and we are not yet even halfway through the year.

"It is imperative that the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration and the state mine safety agencies redouble their inspection and enforcement activities, starting now."

“The bi-partisan legislation passed today by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee will move mine safety and health several steps forward, and I urge the entire U.S. Senate to pass this bill as soon as possible. Miners are still needlessly dying in America’s coal mines, and this legislation can help stem that awful tide.

“I also want to thank Senator Specter (R-Pa.) for his leadership on this issue and the initiative he has taken by sponsoring his own legislation.

“These senators heard the voices of the families of those so tragically killed this year, and followed through on their promise to act. That is a true testament to the senators’ commitment to improve coal mine safety and health, and on behalf of this nation’s coal miners, I thank them all.

“This legislation will give miners a fighting chance to survive incidents like what happened at the Sago mine and the Aracoma Alma mine earlier this year. It mandates increased storage of life-saving oxygen units in underground mines in areas where miners can get to those caches as they make their way out of a mine. It mandates flame-resistant lifelines so that miners can find their way out when visibility is impaired.

“The bill will also move us several steps forward in implementing improvements in communications with miners trapped underground and tracking their whereabouts, and it starts us down the path to improving both the number of and response time of trained, experienced mine rescue teams.

“Coal miners and their families need legislation improving mine safety and health, and they need it now. There have been none more eloquent and more persistent in fighting for better safety in the mines than those families who lost loved ones in the Sago and Aracoma tragedies this year. Frankly, I don’t believe we would be seeing action this soon by Congress had it not been for those brave widows and fatherless children stepping up and demanding it.

“This legislation is a good start in the direction of improved coal mine safety and I urge Congress to act swiftly to pass it. But there is still more to do before America’s coal miners will have the confidence–which every American worker should have–that they can come home safely to their families at the end of each day’s work.”

Source: CWAThe Communications Workers of America this week launched an online and radio advertising campaign urging the public to switch their wireless phone service to Cingular – the only unionized wireless company. CWA's Web ads appear on the popular blogs Salon.com, DailyKos.com, and Atrios.blogspot.com (Eschaton), as well as on Yahoo and Google. Radio spots are running on Air America stations in the Northeast.Viewers and listeners are invited to visit www.CingularSwitch.com for information about making the switch to "the company that cares about workers' rights," or to register for follow up information if they are still under contract to another carrier.CWA's message points out that customers can support a socially responsible wireless company and also get great deals on phones and service, as well as Cingular's exclusive Rollover minutes and access to the nation's largest wireless network.Some 40,000 Cingular workers are represented by CWA and work under union contracts providing regular wage increases, good benefits and a voice on the job.Here is a link to one of the online ads:CWA Web Ad